Having the option to stay home for first time viewings of blockbuster movies allows for people to stay safe while still enjoying the movies that should’ve been released in theaters.
According to Variety, around 70% of a group of 1000 people from mid-May were more likely to watch a movie from home than going out to a theater to see a firstrunning.
More recently “Wonder Woman 1984” was released on Christmas day in both theaters and on Warner Brothers streaming service, HBO Max, which currently has just over 12 Million subscribers. Although the film only made globally $36.6 million during the opening weekend in the box office, it was viewed by almost half of HBO Max’ subscribers which is around six million accounts, according to Decider.com.
While the movies don’t make as much money in the box office when they’re released in the theaters and on streaming services, they may bring in more subscribers to that specific streaming service so that viewers can watch the new movie. According to Observer.com, “Wonder Woman 1984” pulled in about half a million new subscribers to HBO Max from December 25-27 including a record setting 244,000 sign ups on December 27 alone.
Right now, an HBO Max subscription is $14.99 a month, which means “Wonder Woman 1984” pulled in just under $7.5 million just in new subscribers, let alone the $12.5 million they had prior, according to cnbc.com.
Before the releases of “Wonder Woman 1984” HBO Max announced that they would be sameday releasing Warner Brothers 2021 slated films in theaters as well as on HBO Max.
According to IGN.com, this could greatly impact the decline fo COVID-19 rates, being that less people would have to go out in public to see the new summer blockbuster or winter spy movie. This would also help those who are disabled or with previous illnesses watch new content without having to worry about being exposed to new germs.
With streaming services releasing movies at home, it also protects more against pirating movies.
According to Ian McKee on Business Insider, “A lot of people were forced to go to the cinema because that was the only way to watch a movie without waiting for six months to a year…The result of that was piracy.”
McKee explained how piracry was an issue for movie theaters and now that there is “a movie, [they can] pay a reasonable price for, and if it is legal and safe,” then the people will choose that option.
While theaters stay open to show new movies, streaming services while releasing the same film the same day. It will keep viewers safe from the coronavirus while also making money for the film industry by people viewing new content from home and paying for the streaming service.